In this issue

The global pandemic has not spared new maritime academy graduates, who have found a once-reliable job pipeline clogged by COVID-19. Maritime employers are slow to hire as they face operations interruptions and the risk of outbreaks on ships, leaving many new grads in the lurch. In its September issue, Professional Mariner examines what comes next for those affected. Coverage for the month also includes a look at the latest cordage and what manufacturers are doing to keep pace with ever-larger ships and the tugboats that handle them; the dangers of failing to provide accurate data for automatic identification systems (AIS); congressional recognition for American merchant mariners who sacrificed so much for their country during World War II; and a ride aboard a powerful Crowley tug as the crew guides a bulk carrier on Seattle’s narrow Duwamish Waterway. Plus complete maritime casualty coverage for the U.S. and Canada.

Coast Guard warns that inaccurate vessel data can undermine AIS

A spring collision on the Mississippi River that resulted in several fatalities has spurred the U.S. Coast Guard to ramp up efforts to get two points across about automatic identification systems: that it’s unsafe to rely solely on the communication tool to know what vessels are nearby, and that improper entry of AIS data can even be deadly.

3 mins

GAO: Too soon to assess Coast Guard oversight changes after El Faro

In the wake of the El Faro disaster, a federal review of a U.S. Coast Guard initiative to ensure that domestic vessels meet safety management system (SMS) standards found that it is too early to evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts.

3 mins

Pandemic clouds job outlook for new maritime academy grads

A degree from a maritime academy usually spares one from the pain of checking job websites throughout a day, hoping a suitable position has popped up since they last hit refresh.

3 mins

At Work Another day in paradise for agile island tug

Capt. Curtis Iaukea steered Tiger 21 toward Hono-lulu Harbor on a postcard-perfect Hawaii afternoon. The job awaiting them was straightforward: shifting a Sause Bros. barge a few hundred yards from one berth to another.

3 mins

Casualties

Bulk carrier damages pier at Soo Locks after losing propulsion

2 mins

Bulkers hit nearly head-on in Welland Canal accident that goes viral

Two bulk carriers preparing to meet in Ontario’s Welland Canal collided nearly head-on after one ship crossed into the other’s path.

2 mins

Apprentice steersman being trained when tow hit moored barges

A towboat pushing six barges down the Lower Mississippi River struck moored barges at a shipyard near Sunshine, La., causing 11 empty shipyard barges to break free. An apprentice steersman had turned over the helm just before impact.

5 mins

Ship's turn off dock, not upriver first, cited in Louisiana bridge strike

Dank Silver loaded clean product at a refinery near Donaldsonville, La., and prepared to sail down the Lower Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. Getting there meant coming off the dock and spinning 180 degrees in the swollen, fast-moving current.

4 mins

Cordage innovations continue to stretch capability, durability

Cordage, mainly towing and mooring lines, is being required to do more in a new maritime age as cargo vessels get larger and tugboats get more powerful. In response, manufacturers have continued to innovate.

6 mins

Correspondence

Why do containership stacks collapse, and who is liable when they do?

9 mins

Read all stories from Professional Mariner

Professional Mariner Magazine Description:

Tugs, towboats, cargo, government, passenger, spill response, pilot boats, offshore support, salvage, dredge and fireboats - Professional Mariner covers them all. Plus, only Professional Mariner gives you all the essential information you need to advance your maritime business or career including the latest news and in-depth, investigative reporting on maritime casualties, regulations, legislation, shipbuilding, safety, technology, business/management issues and more.